The aim of the current study was to measure glutaraldehyde, acetic acid and sulfur dioxide and levels inside wet x-ray processing areas in a developing country and comparing data with those in developed countries. Forty-five radiographers from 10 educational hospitals affiliated to the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in Tehran, Iran participated in this descriptive-analytical study. Exposure to glutaraldehyde (a constituent of developer chemistry), acetic acid (a constituent of fixer chemistry) and sulfur dioxide (a byproduct of sulfites present in both developer and fixer solutions) was measured in all participants as well as area exposure. Average full-shift exposure to glutaraldehyde, acetic acid and sulfur dioxide were 0.0018, 2.65 and 1.64 mg m(-1), respectively. The results showed that the TUMS radiographers full-shift exposures are generally lower than the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommended levels. The concentration of glutaraldehyde collected by area sampling (darkroom) was almost five times (0.0104 mg m(-3)) greater than taken by personal sampling. Exposure to the chemical pollutants in the currents study were generally higher than in developed countries. Identification of these key exposure determinants is useful in targeting exposure evaluation and controls to reduce developer and fixer chemicals exposures in the radiology departments. Employing of a digital imaging system that do not involve wet x-ray processing of photographic film would be a useful device for radiographers protection.

Background: Considering the importance of health anxiety (HA) and its impact on the management of a pandemic, the present study investigated HA among healthcare workers during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and Methods: The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 220 healthcare staff working in health centers and hospitals in Iran. Participants were selected using convenience sampling method. The data collection tool was a two-part questionnaire. The first part contained demographic information and the second part included a health anxiety questionnaire (HAQ). This questionnaire was provided to the target community through social media and the required data was collected. Data analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA). Results: In the present study, out of 220 participants 128 (58.2%) were employed in health centers and 92 (41.8%) in hospitals. The mean HA score was 17.36 ± 7.66. Moreover, the mean HA scores in health center and hospital personnel was 17.81± 8.02 and 16.52 ± 6.78, respectively, which were not significantly different (P=0.217). The results showed that exercise and chronic disease are significant predictors of HA (P=0.0001 and P=0.043, respectively). Conclusion: The HA level was very high in healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study showed that physical activity and having an underlying disease are important predictors of HA. Hence, in order to reduce the level of anxiety in healthcare personnel, it is recommended to plan regular physical activity programs and make changes in the work schedule of personnel with underlying disease.

Introduction: Currently, the most important health priority of the whole world is COVID-19. Due to the lack of an effective treatment and vaccine for COVID-19, it is important to seriously focus of the prevention.The aim of this study was to investigate the Knowledge and practice of Hormozgan province workers regarding the protection against COVID-19. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the study sample included 406 workers working in the Hormozgan province who were selected through an available sampling method. The instrument used in this study was a two-part, valid, and reliable questionnaire. The first part contained demographic information and the second part included a questionnaire about knowledge and behavior regarding COVID-19. The questionnaire was provided to the participants through social media and the required data were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and ANOVA, independent t-test, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Regarding the COVID-19 symptoms and prevention, 78.6% of workers answered the questions correctly. The average score of workers' behavior was 32.70±3.84, which indicates only 56% of the participants had appropriate behavior. The results of the study showed that the mean scores of behavior in men and women were 33.51±3.51 and 31.96±3.95, respectively, which are significantly different (P-Value≤0.001). Based on the results of multiple regression analysis, knowledge, exercise, and gender were predictors of workers' behavior (P-Value<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, improving the awareness of workers about COVID-19 and increasing their physical activity, result in more preventive behaviors against this disease. Therefore, raising their awareness through education and also planning and encouraging them for regular physical activity is recommended.

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